Parents seek answers in aftermath of cancelled Epping prom

EPPING — An Epping High School teacher told parents at a meeting Friday night that Somersworth police allowed some students who smelled of alcohol at last week's junior prom to go home on their own because they were able to pass field sobriety tests.

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By Jason Schreiber

seacoastonline.com

By Jason Schreiber

Posted May. 31, 2014 at 2:00 AM

By Jason Schreiber
Posted May. 31, 2014 at 2:00 AM

» Social News

EPPING — An Epping High School teacher told parents at a meeting Friday night that Somersworth police allowed some students who smelled of alcohol at last week's junior prom to go home on their own because they were able to pass field sobriety tests.

Karen McCallion, a biology teacher and junior class advisor, voiced her concern about how things were handled after the prom on May 23 at The Oaks Golf Links in Somersworth was shut down an hour after it began because a student was caught with rum and others were also suspected of drinking.

At a special school board meeting held Friday night to answer questions from upset parents, McCallion said a police officer working at the prom confirmed smelling alcohol on at least one 17-year-old student.

McCallion said she asked the officer if the parents of the student could be called to pick the teen up, but claims she was told that couldn't be done because the teen passed a field sobriety test and police had no probable cause for further action.

Principal Kyle Repucci also confirmed at the meeting that alcohol could be smelled on other students, but that they passed the field sobriety tests.

Repucci said the wait staff serving prom-goers heard "a lot of discussion of alcohol amongst the student body" and suspected that students at one table may have been under the influence. However, he again insisted that all of the students who were given field sobriety tests passed and that police made sure they were safe when leaving the facility.

Neil MacLeod, clubhouse manager and food and beverage director at The Oaks, has said that in addition to a female student who was caught with alcohol and charged by police, police searched vehicles and confiscated alcohol and that other alcohol bottles were found outside the facility the next day.

Repucci said the decision to end the prom early was made jointly between him, police and staff at The Oaks.

"It became a safety issue. The safety and liability of everybody involved was our greatest concern," he told the nearly 40 people who attended Friday's meeting.

Some parents expressed concern after learning that students were allowed to leave on their own even after they were suspected of drinking.

"That infuriates me that you knew there was alcohol on their breath," parent Tara Bolduc said.

As soon as the prom was called off, Repucci said parents were notified and informed that the students were being sent home.

However, other parents at the meeting said they felt they should have been told to pick up their kids given the concerns about drinking that night.

The Oaks has since offered to give the students a second chance by allowing them to return for another prom on June 12. The school has accepted the offer, but Repucci said more protocols will be put in place.

"We are taking active steps to streamline the process and make sure this doesn't happen again," he said.

One significant change will be coach buses that will pick students up at Epping High, bring them to the prom, and then return them to the school.

"I know some people may not like this option, but we feel it's the best option to keep our kids safe," Superintendent Barbara Munsey said.

The Oaks has also changed its policies since the Epping incident. MacLeod said the facility is now asking prom-goers not to bring bags into the prom and if they do try to bring them in they'll be searched. Suit jackets will also be checked for alcohol.

Junior class president Casey Sturzo, 17, told parents and the school board that even though the prom shutdown was heartbreaking for many who planned the event and watched it "crumble within 45 minutes," she's glad the call was made.

"I couldn't be happier that it was shut down," she said.

She added, "At the end, we're all alive and we're all safe. ...; We're lucky enough to have a second chance at this prom."

Sturzo said she hopes students learn from the mistakes that were made.

School Board member Carrie Snyder also urged parents to do their part by trying to keep alcohol away from their kids and checking their bags.

"I think we need parents' help as well to take responsibility up until they get to the prom," she said.